The key features of the Molecular Biology Core of the Skin Disease Research Center are its[unreadable] comprehensive range of services designed to support the needs of both proposed and future SDRC[unreadable] members, and its objective of training young investigators in the area of its expertise. This Core[unreadable] provides assistance in three essential areas of molecular biology central to virtually any studies[unreadable] ranging from the investigation of the genetic basis of human disease to cell biology experiments.[unreadable] These include 1) Disease-gene regulation; 2) In Situ labeling of genetic alterations; and 3) Real-[unreadable] Time PCR, automated sequencing and cloning of DNA constructs. The core will assist center[unreadable] investigators in identifying the epigenetic mechanisms of a particular skin disease by promoter and[unreadable] mutagenesis studies and siRNA knockdown models. The Core will assist investigators in automated[unreadable] DNA sequence analysis to identify mutations implicated in skin disease pathogenesis and[unreadable] subsequent histological detection of target cells harboring these genetic mutations. The Core will[unreadable] also assist investigators with the design and optimization of Real-time PCR analysis for candidate[unreadable] disease-genes and developing a plan for ascertaining their functional consequence, and the way in[unreadable] which it elicits a clinical phenotype. The Core will also provide instrumentation, general resources[unreadable] and technical expertise in the use of automated DNA sequencing and DNA cloning. By offering[unreadable] these routinely used services, the Molecular Biology Core will interact closely with the other two[unreadable] cores. Further, the expertise offered in this Core will be almost universally utilized and provide a[unreadable] valuable service to most, if not all, of the Pilot and Feasibility studies, as well as other investigators[unreadable] within the Department.